Tips from the Venice Aiport...and an anecdote

After our week on the Amalfi coast, our next stop was Venice. We decided to fly, to save several hours otherwise wasted on the train.  Apparently we made the right choice.  Italians love everything about flying.  They cheer when the plane takes off, they cheer when it lands and they cheer when announcements are made.  They are generally happy people, not like us grumpy Americans.  And when the plane got delayed an hour they were only mildly annoyed, until the captain said they could unfasten their seat belts and feel free to roam about.  (Apparently they do not like to sit down.)  Instantly the plane was buzzing with activity.  No one wanted to sit still for a minute longer than they had to, especially if they could be up talking to their friends or other people.  I guess we should take a page out of that book when our plane gets delayed in the states.  Not only is it a great way to connect with your fellow fliers, it really makes traveling delays more agreeable.


Okay, back to the tips. 


Arriving in Venice:

When you get to Marco Polo airport there are a few transportation options to get to Venice. If you want to hire a private taxi it will cost you around 100 Euros.  (Believe me, there are plenty of other things to spend your money on in Venice.)  So you will probably want to take public transportation, i.e., the Alilaguna water shuttle.

The trip is approximately 45 minutes to get to Dorsoduro, which is where our hotel was located.  Get your ticket to the water shuttle at the big ticket counter before you leave the airport, or at the smaller booth out by the boats .  The water shuttle is a 7 minute walk from the airport (they actually have signs that count down the minutes as you go).  I found the path to be extremely well-marked and easy to follow, but if for some reason you have chronic directional issues or get freaked out by this stuff, this person has provided kindergarten-level step by step directions with pictures. If you don’t have a water shuttle map yet and are not sure which line to take, the people at the ticket window are very helpful.  Note: the water shuttle lines going to/from the airport (Alilaguna) are not the same as the public water buses (vaporetti) which run all along the grand canal.  

The streets in Venice are filled with cobblestones and bridges, so again I was reminded I should have looked at my own packing list and packed lighter.   I also should have gotten  a new, smaller, light-weight suitcase.  My motto is now:  PUT.   IT.   BACK!  Once again Skye was whizzing through the streets while I looked like someone who had just run away from home with ALL their belongings. 

 I was envious.  I am getting myself new suitcase for Christmas.  Won’t have any large trips before then.  I am turning over a new leaf.  If Skye can pack light, so can I.

Pompeii and Ercolano

My first experience with Pompeii was in 1978 when The MFA Boston put on an exhibit of the main pieces of Art discovered in the dig.  (Most of those pieces are now on display at the National Archeological Museum of Naples)  At the time, because my mother was an art teacher for the High School Scholarship art classes given by the Museum, we had a special employee viewing.  It was amazing.  I was young but I still remember it vividly.  So actually standing in Pompeii last year was an extraordinary thing for me.  I have to say, it's pretty impressive and much bigger than I expected it to be.  It's a whole town.  Be sure to get the map at the entrance when you buy your ticket. It helps you know exactly what you are looking at. Unlike the one I described for the Roman Forum,  these maps are actually useful!  

It struck me while I was there that the Pompeians were far ahead of their time in many ways.  They had tracks in the roads for carriages, and huge aqueducts that brought water to the town that are still usable.  I am a big history buff, so this part was awesome for me.  Of course the brothel with the menu of sexual acts painted on the walls to choose from is really fun (and um, informative?) as well. If you are with friends, you are sure to have at least one "Wait, how would you even do that?" or "No, seriously, what IS that?" moment.

The frescoes and the marble floors are in great condition.  I know there has been extensive restoration work, but still, it is remarkable that many of these paintings could have survived a volcanic eruption.

Even some of the graffiti on the walls is still there.  The fossilized bodies that were caught in the lava are pretty remarkable, as is the Colosseum.  Pompeii is a great day trip.

Although smaller than Pompeii (and with less to see), Ercolano is pretty cool as well. If you have the day set aside, you should take the opportunity to see both.  Combination tickets are available for 20 Euros.  Ercolano is where the wealthier people lived and so it is a little bit different than Pompeii.  Head to Ercolano first and then take the train to Pompeii.  It is easy and quick.  If you are coming from the Amalfi Coast for the day you can get a boat from Sorrento to Amalfi.  No need to rent a car.